The present invention relates to the carpet extractor arts. It finds particular application in conjunction with the cleaning of floors and above-floor surfaces, such as upholstery, stairs, and the like, using a liquid cleaning fluid.
Carpet extractors of the type which apply a cleaning solution to a floor surface and then recover dirty fluid from the surface are widely used for cleaning carpeted and wooden floors in both industrial and household settings. Generally, a vacuum source, such as a vacuum pump, is mounted within a base portion of the extractor and applies a vacuum to a nozzle adjacent the floor surface. A trigger, or other release mechanism is actuated to deliver cleaning solution from a reservoir to a floor distributor. For above floor cleaning, such as cleaning of upholstery and stairs, an attachment tool is often coupled to the extractor with a remote cleaning solution distributor and suction nozzle. It is desirable for these to be coupled easily to the reservoir and vacuum source in a manner which redirects the supply of cleaning solution and vacuum from the floor-mounted suction nozzle to the accessory. Conventional carpet extractors often require a complex series of connections to be made. Conventional carpet extractors employ several valves in this process, adding to the cost of the extractor and taking up space on the extractor.
Accordingly, it has been considered desirable to develop a new and improved carpet extractor which provides ease of coupling of a remote attachment for access to hard to reach areas and selective supply of cleaning solution to the attachment and the floor. The present invention provides a new and improved apparatus and method for which overcomes the above-referenced problems and others while providing better and more advantageous results.